maybe there is a god
by bug1
Summary: just a little emma/shalimar fic


well, here it is. just a little emma/shalimar piece. nothing graphic. have at it.  
bug  
  
disclaimer: they're not mine. shocker, huh?  
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'Hmm...Julie? No. Natasha? Nah. Rachael? Bingo! She definitely looks like a Rachael,' Emma thought. 'Last name...' Emma looked around. Her eyes landed on the book Brennan was reading. e. e. cummings. Perfect. Satisfied, she typed Rachael Cummings on the new identity papers.  
  
Emma looked up and froze. Shalimar was totally staring at her. 'How weird is that?' Emma caught her eye, letting her know she'd been caught. Shalimar, completely unembarrassed, just smiled and went back to whatever she had been doing.  
  
'Whatever.' Emma mentally shrugged and sent the changes on the file to Adam, who was working in his lab.  
  
"Hey guys," Jesse announced to the room at large. Brennan and Shalimar both nodded at him. Jesse looked disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm. Taking pity on him Emma replied.   
  
"Hey Jesse."   
  
Jesse smiled at the response, and, having gained an audience, sauntered over. "What are you doing?" he asked, leaning over her to see the screen. Suppressing an eye roll as he invaded her personal space, she showed him the new papers. "Wow, Em, you did that fast!"  
  
Emma glanced over at Brennan and Shalimar. Both were taking great interest in the display and both were trying hard not to look it. 'Failing miserably, too.' Brennan looked like he was doing his best to not burst into laughter, while Shalimar simply looked on with an intense look.  
  
Emma decided to play along. "Impressed?" she asked in a low voice, raising her eyebrows. Jesse's already impossibly wide smile got wider. "Oh, very," he replied, leaning in closer.  
  
Brennan, unable to hold it in any longer, burst into laughter. Emma looked at Shalimar, expecting her to be laughing too, but Shalimar abruptly stood and left. Emma could've sworn she saw her eyes flash gold for an instant.  
  
She looked at Brennan, who was now laughing outright at the look on Jesse's face. He shrugged at Emma and, after glancing in the direction Shalimar left, got himself enough under control to go back to reading.  
  
Jesse looked confused as well, but more than ready to pick up where they had left off. "I'm going to go check on her," Emma said, easing away from Jesse and out the door.  
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"Was is something I said?" Jesse asked the remaining person in the room. Brennan's straight face lasted for all of two seconds before he lost it again.  
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Emma found Shalimar staring into the small pond in the garden area, watching the fish swim around. Even though Shal hated water, she always seemed to be fascinated by fish. 'Typical feral,' Emma thought with a grin.  
  
Taking off her high heel shoes, she sat down next to Shalimar, putting her feet in the water. They sat in silence, both absorbed in their own thoughts. After awhile, Emma leaned over so her shoulder bumped her friend's.  
  
"What's up, Shal?" she quietly asked. 'I'm being ignored!' Emma thought indignantly. Shalimar sat perfectly still, then looked down at her hands and shrugged.  
  
Emma fought down her growing frustration and went for a different approach.  
  
"Better start talking or else..." she said with a smile and another shoulder nudge. That earned her a half smile, but nothing more.  
  
Throwing up her hands in mock exasperation, Emma stood up as if to leave but instead turned and shoved Shalimar straight into the pond. Unfortunately for Emma, on pure reflex, Shalimar grabbed Emma's arm and pulled her in headfirst. Emma couldn't tell up from down and flailed about until string hands righted her. As her vision cleared she caught sight of a very unhappy Shalimar, who was blinking rapidly and shaking her head. The sight was too much for Emma. She erupted in laughter. Shalimar glowered at her.  
  
"You think this is funny?" she demanded. Unable to speak, Emma just nodded. Shalimar rolled her eyes and then, without warning, dunked Emma and hopped out. Emma, who had taken a mouthful of water, barely managed to roll out of the pond, coughing and laughing at the same time.  
  
Shalimar crouched beside Emma. "That's what you get for pushing me in," she smirked. Emma nodded, then, using a move from training, pulled Shalimar sharply to the side so that her legs caused the wet feral to trip. Keeping the momentum, Emma rolled Shalimar over her and to the edge of the pond. 'Oh, I'm good'  
  
Emma grinned evilly as she tilted towards the water. The only thing between Shalimar and another fish-scaring splash was Emma's grip on her.  
  
"So..." Emma said with a snicker. "Are we going to talk or are you going to swim?" When she got no answer, she loosened her grip, sending Shal even closer to the water. "Well?"  
  
"Fine," came the reply. Emma smiled in victory and rolled Shalimar back over her. As she stood up, she looked at Shalimar who was striding towards her quarters, still trying to shake water out of her ears. Emma ran to catch up with her.  
  
"C'mon Shal, are you worried its going to wash away that protective layer of dirt?" Shalimar paused outside her door to glare at Emma.  
  
"Oh, wet and pissed off, how cute," Emma said teasingly. She caught Shalimar's wet shirt full in the face before the feral stalked into her room, slamming the door. Emma laughed and went into her room across the hall to change. At least annoyed Shal was a step up from despondent Shal.   
  
'Much for entertaining, too' Emma thought with a grin. Shal looked so cute, especially without the shirt.  
  
'Whoa there DeLauro, where did that one come from? Shal would be one of your straight friends, remember?' Emma pushed the voice to the back of her mind and sighed. How could she forget? Shal had a big sign that said "OFF LIMITS" hanging right over her head. There must not be a god, because if there was one, she wouldn't put her through this, right?   
  
Shaking her head to clear her mind, Emma headed out to the hall. She knocked on Shalimar's door.   
  
"Hey Shal, you almost ready?" she yelled through the door. She heard a big thud and Shalimar cursing. "Shal?"  
  
The door opened and Shalimar appeared, looking as nervous as ever. "Look," she started, "I know I said we would talk, but, can't we just do this later?" Emma just looked at her. "Please, Em?"   
  
"Shal, why can't you just tell me what's going on? You're worrying me." Shalimar looked down and said quietly, "I can't. You'd hate me."  
  
"Shalimar Fox! I could never hate you. Please, talk to me." Emma mentally sent reassuring thoughts to Shalimar.   
  
Shalimar looked Emma in the eye for a long moment, then grabbed her, kissed her hard, then quickly retreated to her room and locked the door.  
  
Emma stood in the hallway, frozen with shock, then, smiling to herself, went back to her room. 'Maybe there is a god.' 


End file.
